Pocket-rule



(No Model.)

J. MoLEAN.

POCKET RULE.

No. 378,894. Patented Mar. 6-,-1888.

- I 3mm YQMM UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

" JOSEPH MOLEAN, OF ROGKVILLE, CONNECTICUT POCKET==RULEQ SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 378,894, dated March 6, 1888.

Application filed March 16, 1887.

Serial No. 231,092. (No model.)

and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Pocket- Rules, of which the following is a full, clear,and

' exact description, whereby any one skilled in the art can make and usethe same.

The object of my improvement is to provide a pocket-rule with a bevel orangle measuring device that shall besimple and compact; and to this endmy improvement consists in a rule having a joint with a tongue on onepart roughened on the edge or provided with indentations or teeth, andthe other part of thejoint bearing a tilting locking device and havingthe outer surface of one of the cheek-pieces graduated; and it furtherconsists in details of the several parts and their combination, as moreparticularly hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claim.

Referring to the drawings, Figure I is a plan view of a part of a rule,showing the joint that embodies my improvement,with parts broken away toshow construction. Fig. 2 is a plan view of apart of a rule, showing thesections closed, with the joint that embodies the improvement brokenaway to show construction. Fig. 3 is an end view of the rule withthejoint closed.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter a denotes a carpenters rulethat may be of any material and construction; I), the joint that unitesthe several parts of the rule edgewise, or in the direction of theirwidth, as commonly made. This joint is composed of one part having atongue, b, that is fastened to one section of the rule by straps andrivets, and of the joint part 0, having a slot to receive the tenonbetween the cheek-pieces c. This joint part is preferably formed ofsheet metal folded to shape to fit upon the end of a section of the ruleand extending along it a sufficient distance to afford a hold for therivets by means of which the part is attached to the rule-section. Thetwo parts of the joint are united by means of a pin or pivot, d, so thatwhen the sections are closed together edgewise the line of divisionbetween the rules passes through the center of the pivot, while theshoulders at are in line with each other and on a line passing th roughthe center of the joint and at about right angles to the line ofdivision of the rule-sections.

The projecting semicircular part c of the Y joint is graduated-that is,divided into degrees or parts of degrees-so that when the rule is openthe angular divergence of the sections of the rule that are united bythis joint may be measured by noting the position of the shoulder a onthe graduated are marked on the projecting part c of the rule-joint.

In order to hold the rule-sections in a certain position after havingmeasured the angle, a catch or stop is used. This consists of a tiltingblock, f, hung within the fold of the joint-section 0, near one edge,and with a hooked part, f, that is adapted to engage with the roughenedor indented periphery, of the tenon b.

The catch is moved into and out of engagement with the tenon by means ofa sliding bolt, 9, that is operated by means of the stud 9, thatprojects beyond the edge of the rule. The lower surface of this bolt isbeveled and slides upon the beveled back of the tilting catch. By meansof this bolt the'sections of the rule may be set at ninety degrees witheach other, locked there, and the device used as a square, or thesection may be set at any desired degree and locked in that position, orthe arc may be used for measuring bevels or slopes, as desired.

Lclaim as my invention- In combination with the hinged sections of arule, the joint I), composed of the tongue I), with a roughened edge,the pivot 02, and the socket c, the tilting block f, hinged within thefold of the joint-section and having the hooked endf, and theslidingboltg with rounded face fitting the recessed back of the tiltingblock and having the projecting stud 9, all substantially as described.'

JOSEPH MOLEAN.

Witnesses:

CHAS. L. BURDETT, M. H. HUGHES.

